Odds and Endings

Annandale, Sydney-The week has flown by bathed in rain water and dried off in pink towels. I spent the last 4 days at the IWG World Conference on Women in Sport, where I presented on my favourite topic, women's human rights in sport, or should I say, the lack thereof. The conference outcome called for any government money given to national sporting bodies to be linked to the sports increasing the representation of women on their boards. Personally, I will be taking this back to Canada and have a look at what swimming is doing. Surrounded by hundreds of women who care as much as I do about changing the world of sport it was a remarkable few days, and Lee and Kate really did give me a pink towel.

It rained a lot, but the sun came out just enough so that I could smile and enjoy the days. I had my first swim at the indoor Ian Thorpe Pool, which is so lovely and white. I also got to swim outside at my favourite pool in the world, the North Sydney Olympic Pool. Nestled under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, this art deco pool sits beside Luna Park and makes backstroke positively dreamy. Coney Island, eat your heart out.

As I walked along the corridor after my 6 minute hot shower (it costs 50 cents per 3 minutes), my eyes flitted across the lists of legends breaking World Records at the pool: Gould, Ford, Rose, Fraser, the Conrads and Devitt. Australia is so cool.

Made lots of new friends, including women cricketers and Aussie Rules players, was taught how to say hi when speaking one of the minority languages in Botswana, (its guchani by the way), and learned a lot of things about women's sports that I probably should have known, being that I have been involved in competitive sport for 30 years. We had lots of family time, eating with Clare T., Sally B., and Kate's mum and Dad. My cousins are so big now! I ate a lot of steak too. You just have to BBQ in Australia.

Off to the airport soon after I finish my last skinny flat white and delish baked eggs with mushrooms and feta in a hot pot at Clover. Be home in over a day. Scott will be there waiting for me! That's the only good part about having to say goodbye from down under. See you in October!

Coming out of hiding in Hyde Park

Hyde Park, Sydney-I am basking in the early morning Aussie sun, having just got off my 22 hour flight from NYC via SFO. Lee and Kate are running a half marathon this morning. I am feeling a bit lazy about my basking and drinking my first skinny flat white of the trip, but then again I sat through a flight marathon I suppose.

My bag is lost...although I was safely ushered underground from the domestic terminal in SFO to the international departure gate, it turns out my bag didn't get the same treatment. Oh man, that flat white is good. Why can't we make coffee like this? That was Lee and Kate's recurring lament during their almost year in the US. I agree, but then again, it is twice the price, so maybe that is why? And by the way the Aussie dollar is stronger than the Sacagawea. What is up with that?

My first sight upon exiting the baggage non-claim were a group of Dinkas, now Sudanese-Australians I suppose. I always wonder on my trips down under if I will see any of the refugees I interviewed while in Sri Lanka and Kenya. Being responsible for over 300 new Australians via the refugee process I wonder how they have fared. I think that sometimes the golden ticket of refugee status is a blessing in disguise. At least for the parents. We always took the view during interviews that the hope was “the children would be right.” That due to their age they would be able to adapt quickly from a life of persecution and refugee camp living to apartments with real roofs and schools with walls and English. In 1 hour my job was to interview a family of up to 10, ascertain their identities, their family composition, verify their refugee claims, determine their truthfulness, judge their body-language, and stress, make a decision as to status, and then in the 5 minutes I had left, give them a crash course about life in Australia.

It was easy for the kids...I asked them if they played football or liked to play. I told them, and with extra force the girls, that playing sports would be the way to win Australian hearts. I told them I was a swimmer and that swimming was an especially important sport. They usually smiled coyly and agreed with me. They were told to do that I think.

I must go find Lee soon. I am meeting him in “a big grassy area facing the church (St. Mary's).” There are only a few thousand people here for the race. Good thing I am 6'2”.